Barça’s performance against Rayo Vallecano

• This is how we have seen the performance of Xavi Hernández‘s players

Ter Stegen

DETERMINANT

He made three saves of goal value, one of the few good news for Barça in an unexpectedly frustrating debut. Álvaro, Camello, and Falcao were almost singing the 0-1 when the Barça goalkeeper emerged, which is no small thing remembering last season. To aspire to something, apart from improving the game, Xavi’s team needs a lifeline at the back.

Araujo

DENATURED

He had another test of maximum confidence on the part of Xavi by giving him a responsibility that is not natural to him: playing as a full-back. He suffered with Álvaro much more than he should have and then went to the rear axis. There, his main deficit was not speeding up the ball exit.

Christensen

DEBUTANTE

Another beneficiary of the new hierarchy, the Danish center-back made his debut in the League. It fulfilled to be his first appearance of him and even helped Ter Stegen to conjure up an almost certain goal.

Eric Garcia

WEIRD

His ownership confirmed that the center-back is not as far behind Xavi as the popular pools predicted. Of course, he reappeared at the origin of some of the rival’s chances.  

Jordi Alba

bland

One of two classics to remain in the lineup for another season. He transmitted little, especially in attack, where he never found his place.

Busquets

clueless

The final expulsion was the culmination of a bad night, also for him. The week threatened to take her mind off him far longer than was advisable. He seemed so. The only action of his redeemable from him in the positive, a distant shot.

Gavi

DECREASING

Forming in the first eleven of Barça was a boost to his progression. He did not start badly, starring in a promising arrival with a badly used back pass, but it soon faded. He entered the first battery of substitutes.

Pedri

SCARCE

The theoretician in charge of managing offensive operations from the three-quarter zone did not shine. He lacked much more contact with the ball… his only ‘flash’, an intentional long shot.

Raphinha

INCOMPLETE

He showed intensity, which he brings with him from the Premier, but lacked the inspiration displayed during the preseason. She had some of Barça’s best half-times and even tried, without luck, the Olympic goal. He was relieved at game time.  

Lewandowski

NEEDY

In his debut in the League, he undoubtedly longed for the frequency of arrivals that each game had in Munich. In the first half he coldly scored the only chance he had, although it didn’t count because he did it offside. In the second he missed a couple of shots. His will to lead was seen, more than in the game, in the request for support from the stands. 

Dembele

BAFFLING

He was seen with so much desire that he started with two fouls as a result of the acceleration when he wanted to steal the ball. One of them cost him the yellow. The best chance was generated by starting on the right, but Dimitrievski saved his tepid shot. He added two Olympic goal attempts. With the passing of the minutes, Dembélé returned more run over, a victim of a kind of ‘dejà vu’ on the least expected day. 

DeJong

REVULSIVE

Confirmed: the best Frenkie is pissed off. He played the final half hour and transformed his displeasure at his situation into a soccer outburst that at times revitalized the team’s self-esteem, with steals and driving that generated danger.   

Ansu Fati

ENCOURAGING

He starred in a few more than promising first minutes as a result of his entry, under pressure for the scoreboard. He was very close to the goal in his first shot and wanted to take a direct free kick to win the game, but his shot went high.     

Sergio Robert

TACTICAL

His entry onto the pitch was explained by Xavi’s willingness to redesign the drawing. Little more.

Kessie

FRUSTRATED

For a second he dreamed of the role of hero in his official debut, but his goal did not go up for offside, and he ended up with a sprained ankle from a bad fall. 

aubameyang

SPECIALIST

Author of 14 saving goals since his arrival in winter, the new distribution of roles gives him, in principle, a secondary one. But in a short time, he showed the nature of his finisher: he was close to scoring the saving goal.